Ebony and Ivory
by the-denouement
Summary: Ebony is alone. Very alone. And she likes it that way. But Gotham is changing and she needs to adapt to these changes, just to survive. But when she crosses paths with an eccentric character called 'The Joker', her life is flipped upside down and she gets sucked in to a whole new world. It's up to her to choose how she continues to survive, through alliances... or enemies.


p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"a style="mso-comment-reference: ADL_1; mso-comment-date: 20180623T1035;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The/span/aspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;" sirens grew louder, the red and blue flashes illuminating the dark alleyway. Ebony instinctively hid in the shadows, amongst the snow and cold, hugging the loaf of bread close to her body, paranoid about getting caught by the city's useless ass police force. That's maybe one of the good things about living in Gotham. The city had better things to worry about other than her petty theft. Things like crazy mobsters and complex drug cartels. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: black;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"'Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring-ting-tingling too…/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you..' /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: black;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She made her way out of Crime Alley, releasing a repressed sigh of relief. The twinkling of Christmas lights and soft echoes of carolling dimmed as she distanced from the city centre. The alleyway grew quiet, the rippling wind and sleet dancing around her. Until the wall blew right out of where it was standing, taking Ebony with it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: black;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The explosion ripped through the silence, an avalanche of rubble toppling over. "What the fu-" she coughed, the dust contaminating her lungs. She tried to get up onto her arms. "emBoys/em, I feel/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"great!/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Joker/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"is finally making his grand debut onto the cemrime scene! Hoo hoo!/em" The figure let out a sickening laugh, as Ebony ducked down, hiding her face within the mixture of snow and rubble. She stole a peek, one hand perched on her gun, poised to shoot, and saw the outline of a purple trench coat and vibrant green hair, arms out, standing on a pedestal of debris, showering in bills./span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Joker? How fitting. He looks like a joke./span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The 'Joker' jumped down from the makeshift dais, followed by the shuffle of thugs in leather jackets and ridiculous clown masks. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Uh boss," one of the masks spoke, "Where's the getaway car?" The purple figure spun around, a hysterical grin of red spreading across his face. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""emOh my!/em" The Joker dramatically hit himself on the forehead, "I must have/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"forgotten./span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"" He lifted his arm, now holding a gun, firing consecutive shots, each shot followed by the collapsing of a body./span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Shit!/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Ebony buried her face further into the snow, flinching after every shot. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Oh? And what do we have/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"here?/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"" Ebony could hear the movement of debris getting closer to her, until a hard pressure was pressed against the temple of her head./span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Act dead, act dead, act dead./span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He let out a deep chuckle, inching his face closer to hers./spanspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Look up,/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"sugar/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;", I like to see my victims before I/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"kill/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"them." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She began to tremble, her face numb from the cold, as she pressed further into the ground. The Joker grabbed a fistful of hair, forcing her to face him. emI guess this is it. This is how I'm gonna go. /em/spanspan style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; font-size: 13.3333px;"Ebony opened her eyes, hesitating as she scanned over his disfigured face. She returned an icy cold stare right back at him. emAt least if I'm going to die, then I'll die with dignity. /em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""emHm. Confident little thing/em, aren't we?" He pressed the gun against her forehead, his finger on the trigger. Ebony scoffed, reaching up to grab his wrist and pulling out her gun with her other hand and aimed it threateningly in his face. The Joker's smile faltered for a split second, before reverting back to his signature grin. "You seem just like my type of/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"crazy/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;", but unfortunately my dear, I don't like to leave a trail." /span /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Loud sirens interrupted them, pulling up into the alleyway. He donned a look of frustration and threw a glance towards Ebony. "Well, I guess that's my cue to/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"leave/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"." He paused, slinging bags of money over his shoulder, "I hope I get to see you emagain."/em/spanspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;" He laughed, the sound echoing through the alleyway, vanishing out of sight. Her heart pounded in her ears, as she looked up, checking the coast was clear. "And I hope I don't," she muttered to herself, the cops filing out of their cars to observe the site. She quickly located the loaf of bread and stole off, escaping the eyes of the police./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"br /***/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: black;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She exhaled a steamy breath, leaning against the large garage door for support. The silence of Amusement Mile was reassuring, the creaky rides and whispering wind reminding her that she was alone. Entering the warehouse, she removed her jacket and her watch, discarding the loaf of bread and her gun on a chair nearby. Passing the rickety furnace, she flipped a switch, placing her hands above generated heat to try and stop her shivering. She collapsed on top of her tattered mattress and slipped her gun underneath her pillow. The adrenaline began to dissipate, soon replaced by exhaustion. Nodding off into a deep sleep, all that remained in her thoughts were vague shapes of purple and green and a very, very clear crimson grin. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: black;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"***/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: black;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The gentle patter of the rain against the corrugated iron roof woke Ebony, as she tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes. She got up, grabbed a slice of bread, and took the emergency exit stairwell to the roof of the building. A warm sunrise washed over the city, hues of blue reflecting off the fresh layer of snow, blanketing the scene. To the other side, she could see The River Liberty, and just over the River, the prestigious Wayne Manor. The serenity calmed her, washing away the anxiety from the events of last night, the clown dancing in her thoughts. She knelt down, prying open a loose panel near the door of the stairwell, taking out a rustic wooden box. Opening it, she took out photos of her and her mum, tracing the outlines of the figures in the photos. She looked through the contents of the box; her mum's badge, a matching watch to hers and several other photos of her family. She returned the items in the box, placing it carefully back into its nook and moved the panel back into place. Once she finished her breakfast, she headed back downstairs./span /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She decided to have a shower, to wash away the dirt and debris of the previous night. She undressed, leaving her clothes on the mattress and reaching for the towel draped over the chair./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The warm water ran down her neck, a wave of relief washing over her. She heard a faint screech of a car coming to a halt outside. Alert, she immediately turned off the shower, listening to the muffled sounds of conversation. The high-pitched squeal of the garage door opening filled the warehouse, eventually slowing to stop./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""emBoys/em."/span /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Ebony's blood froze./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""This place is/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"perfect/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"! Welcome/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"home!/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""/span /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Immediately, she reached for the towel, wrapping herself in it and put on her watch. She grabbed her gun off the sink, holding it beside her./span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Shit, I can't get to my clothes!/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She stepped out of the shower, quietly opening the door. She saw several thugs wandering around, looking through the warehouse. Deciding it was clear, she slipped her gun in her cleavage and sneaked out, pressing herself against the wall to hide in the shadows and climbed one of the large pipes that ran up the wall. She perched on top of one of the large railings that hung from the ceiling, watching silently. As she expected, she caught sight of the purple coat, and that hideous green hair. His laughter echoed through the warehouse, sending chills down her spine. He walked on through the opening of the garage door, the sickening grin adorning his painted /spanspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Look around, boys. Take anything worth/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"keeping./span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"I don't want any/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"surprises./span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"" br /The thugs around him nodded, afraid to look at his face. Ebony observed their movements, every hulking figure seemed to avoid eye contact with their lankier leader. br /"I found some clothes! There's also a shower in here too!" one of the thugs called from the shower./span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Goddamn it. I need to find a way out./span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The Joker walked towards the corner with her mattress and the bathroom. br /"S/spanspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"eems like we're not/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"alone./span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"" He began to walk around, like a hound following a scent, until he froze, turning his body towards the ceiling. He narrowed his eyes, and in a quick motion, lifted his gun and fired two shots in Ebony's general direction, barely missing her head. She flinched, pressing herself closer to the railing, squeezing her eyes shut./span /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""emHm./em" He watched the dark space in thought, before taking a running start towards the wall, scaling up the pipe, landing elegantly on the bar she was grabbing on, causing it to creak and slightly swing./span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Fuck!/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Ebony pulled the towel tighter around her, and drew her gun, poised to shoot. Cackling came from the silhouette from the other end of the bar, inching its way closer to her. She maintained her stance on her stomach, steadying her hand and fired a warning shot in his /"Don't make me kill you," she threatened. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He emerged from the darkness, his gun drawn. "emOoh, /emI guess this is my house warming/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"present./span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"" The Joker knelt beside her face, pushing the barrel of the gun against her head. /spanspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""emConfident little thing,/em/span span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"aren't we?"/spanspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He paused momentarily, the realisation dawning. "Oh now/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"this/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"seems familiar! Fate/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"has/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"caused us to cross paths once again! So soon as well, no doubt!" He grabbed her chin between his fingers, angling her face towards his. "And what's your name,/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"beautiful/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"?" She hardened her gaze, trying not to retch from the sight of his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""None of your damn business."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The Joker hesitated, before laughing again and pointing his gun at her forehead./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""My, you're a feisty one, aren't you?" Ebony forced her forehead against the gun, similar to him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Yeah, I'm not exactly co-operative," she retorted. She aimed up and shot, the Joker anticipating the movement and swerving out of the way, falling off the edge of the suspended platform. He hung on with his gloved hand, a sickening grin creeping onto his scarred face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""I hope you're ready for a ride,/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"cupcake./span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He heaved his body over to grab the bar with both hands and swung back and forth, rocking the bar dangerously./span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Shit!/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Ebony tightened her grip around the hanging platform, her body slowly slipping off the side. She felt her weight heave over the edge, now hanging on with the tips of her fingers. The Clown continued cackling raucously, swinging back and forth. Now hanging on with one hand, she peeked at the drop below, littered with thugs and men watching, agape, the plunge unnerving her. She took a deep breath in, gripping the edge of her towel and gun. Releasing her hold, she felt the rush of wind travel up her legs and through her hair, landing on her feet and into a roll, to absorb the shock. She winced, a sharp pain traveling up her leg, jarring it on the landing. She stayed crouched on the ground, one hand still gripping the gun. The Joker laughed and followed suit, swinging off the bar and landing onto the ground./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Risky girl. I like people who take/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"risks./span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"" He ran at her, laughing maniacally. He swept his leg under her, knocking her off balance and onto her back. He positioned himself on top of her body, pinning both wrists against the ground with one hand, causing her to let go of the gun. He trailed the muzzle of his gun down her body, from her chest down to her thigh. She squirmed underneath him, trying to get herself loose./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Tut tut, don't be naughty. It would be a shame if something..." he slid his gun in the side of the towel, "emslipped/em/span span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"off./spanspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Infuriated, she returned a steely gaze, trying to emanate as much hate as she could. The Joker leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a deep whisper./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Anymore staring, and I'd start to think that you/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"liked/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She scoffed in disgust, pulling one leg in from under him and kneeing him in the groin. He grunted in pain, releasing her momentarily. Taking advantage of the opportunity, she tucked her legs in and placed both feet against his pelvis, launching his body off hers. She got up and turned, and before he could recover, she spun and kicked him in the head, knocking him over. She could feel movement approaching her, numerous thugs beginning to advance./span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Damn it, I need to run./span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;" Grabbing her gun off the ground (and a firm grip on the towel), she broke into a sprint, weaving between the various large wooden boxes, containers and crates, making a break for the already opened garage door./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Catch her you/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"idiots! /span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"I want her emalive!/em/spanspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Hulking dark figures stampeded their way towards her, as she almost made it out of the exit. A large hand grabbed her towel and jerked her back, the towel nearly unravelling. It threw her down onto the ground, a rush of air knocked out of her chest as her gun went sliding across the floor. Coughing violently, she got back up, tightening the towel around her, resuming a fighting stance and observed her surroundings. Several thugs ran at her, throwing wild punches. Calculating her movements, she weaved through the attacks, dodging rogue fists, hitting pressure points and sweeping under legs. Her heart raced, the rigorous surge of blood pumping through her veins excited her, as she flipped the final thug over her body. She observed the calamity, unconscious bodies adorning the floor, groaning in pain. She panted, her body heaving, the exhaustion settling in. She immediately sprinted to retrieve her gun from the ground. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""My,/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"my./span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Aren't you/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"talented./span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""/span /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The Joker chuckled, circling Ebony. She narrowed her eyes, the tremble in her arms dissipating./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Yeah. Self-taught," she retorted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The Joker took another step closer to her, Ebony maintaining her stance./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Take another step, and I'll shoot."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The clown merely laughed again, put away his gun and raised his arms./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Go ahead, I'm not stopping you." He took another step towards her. She aimed down and shot him in the leg. Instead of a cry of pain, he reacted with laughter, reaching down to put compression on the wound. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""What the fuck is wrong with you? I told you I would."/spanspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;" His laughter agitated her, the unexpected response throwing her off. The Joker ceased his laughter and slowly looked back up at Ebony. A frightening glow illuminated his green eyes, his focus solely on her. He bolted towards her, weaving to dodge her bullets, pushing her hand with the gun up and twisting her other arm behind her. He gripped the hand with the gun tightly. br /"Now, let it go." br /Ebony refused, trying to pull herself out of his grip. He strengthened his hold, digging his nails into her skin, causing her to cry out in pain and drop the gun. "Good girl." br /He swept his leg under hers, making her topple face first onto the ground. He leaned over her body, looming over her on all fours. Grabbing her gun, he reached over and pressed it against her head. The grip made it hard for Ebony to move, trying to wriggle out of his grasp. She looked at his eyes again, this time, filled with a gleam that she could only register as insane. He glanced at the glock in his /br /"Police gun? Are you a narc?" he interrogated. Ebony squirmed in his grasp. She shook her head. br /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Alright,/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"beautiful/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;", tell me your name."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She looked away, trying to resist. He applied more pressure onto her arm, causing her to wince./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Name."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She let out a sharp hiss. "Samantha."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""You're a horrible liar." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She rolled her eyes. "Ebony." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Tell me,/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"sweet/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;", where did you learn to fight like that?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She sighed, knowing she was stuck./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Self. taught."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Now why on earth would such a pretty thing like you need to fight?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Why do you need to know?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Oh/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"cupcake,/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"I don't keep people alive this long unless I find them/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"interesting/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;". So you better work with the psychopath who has a gun against your head or I might/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"accidentally/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"pull the trigger."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She looked up at him, unfazed. "I learned because I had to survive."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The clown raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She sighed, "Dad had questionable methods of getting money. People came knocking. People who don't care who you are, as long as they get what they want."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The Joker chuckled. "Oh/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"my./span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"A tortured childhood? Why, they're my/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"specialty./span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"And where is mother dearest?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She hardened her gaze. "Not here."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He smirked. "Oh? Abandoned are we? Well, with that/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"attitude/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"of yours, I wouldn't be surprised!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She growled, "I wasn't abandoned! And it's none of your/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"fucking business!/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Joker threw his head back in laughter. "And look what we have here, classic denial. If you weren't abandoned, then tell me where she is."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She turned her head away. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Dead. 2 years." She lay in silence, maintaining her cold stare at the clown. His face softened./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""All alone when you were 17? That's just…heart-warming." Enraged, she spat in his face. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Sick bastard," she muttered. He laughed, his expression returning to crazy./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""I'll tell you what, how about you stay here with me, as my own personal pet, and I'll take/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"care/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"of you. Be a better mommy than mommy ever was."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She hardened her gaze, narrowing her eyes. "Get/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"fucked./span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He neared his face to hers, the scent of gunpowder wafting into her senses. "How about you do that/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"for me?/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Ebony leaned back and collided her head into his. "Son of a bitch!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He laughed and stumbled backwards, letting go of her. "That's what everyone tells me! But to be honest, I don't remember her." He turned back towards the thugs who were recovering. "Get up you buffoons! You pussies let a girl take you out, it's embarrassing!" The henchmen quietly groaned in frustration, as they drew their guns and aimed at Ebony. "Though I'll admit, it/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"was/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"top notch entertainment." He faced Ebony once more. "You can choose to stay here and work for me, or you can go back to your dismal gutter life." br /He raised an eyebrow, anticipating an answer./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She got up off the ground, dusting herself off./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""I would/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"never/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"work for you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He snickered to himself and shrugged. "Hmph. Your choice." He pointed the gun at her head. "People often tell me that I'm/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"very/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"persuasive. So, if you want to rethink your decision."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Ebony stood there, aggravated, but she didn't know what else to do. He could potentially kill her if she stayed or she would become homeless on the streets of crime alley. And still be killed. But she refused to be associated with someone like/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"that. /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Why don't you just kill me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He placed a finger on his chin. "Hm. Maybe because I've taken quite a/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"liking/span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"to you. You have untapped potential."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She was confused. "Potential to be a criminal?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Tut. No, no sweet. Potential to be driven/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"insane./span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""I don't associate myself with emcriminals. /emI'll never stoop down to your level," she scoffed. "You're crazy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He lowered his gun. "Maybe I am. But regardless,/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"sweet/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;", I know you won't last long out/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"there/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;". That's why you hide/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"here./span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"" He began to cackle as he limped off, the bullet wound in his thigh leaking blood, humming to himself./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Ebony watched after him, rolling her eyes. She glanced back at the mattress in the corner, the loaf of bread, her clothes. She looked down at her towel, gun and bloodstained hands. There wasn't much potential in the life she was living. The Joker was powerful, perhaps smart. She could maybe make use of his resources. She let out an exasperated sigh. "Wait." The clown turned around, grinning with glee. Ebony got up off the floor and walked towards him. He watched her, as she got on her knees, ripping a strip of the towel she wore. She reached into his wound with her fingers and fished out the bullet. She took satisfaction in the uncomfortable wince of pain that flashed across his face. She wrapped the strip around his wound, applying pressure. "There. Can't do much about your trousers."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Oh don't you worry about that. I've got/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"plenty./span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""If I work for you, then I want to have some ground rules."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He looked annoyed. "emGround rules?"/em/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Yes. Ground rules. I want a specific place to myself. You can't come in or out, however you please. Same with your minions. I need my privacy. And I don't kill. Ever. I'll do work, but if someone has to die, it's not on me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""And what if I break these rules?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She narrowed her eyes. "Then I break your neck."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"He laughed, amused. "emHm./em/span span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"Someone making the rules for/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"me./span/em span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"This is new."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""Well, you better get used to it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""And will that be all,/span emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"princess?/span/emspan style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;""/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"She thought for a second. "That's all for now. And I want my gun back."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Avenir Book'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Al Bayan Plain'; color: #262626;"The Joker let out a grin and threw her the gun before turning back around and ordering his thugs around. Ebony sauntered back to get her clothes, feeling much more comfortable after changing. She dried off her dark hair, put away her towel, and tucked her glock in the waist of her pants./span/p  
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